Flexible Triboelectric Nanogenerator Based on Carbon Nanotubes for Self‐Powered Weighing

Abstract

Diverse approaches have been adopted on harvesting ambient energy as sustainable, maintenance free, and green power sources for driving some small electronics due to the increasingly serious energy crisis. By coupling triboelectric effect and electrostatic induction, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) can harvest mechanical energy with simplicity, cost‐effectiveness, and robustness. A flexible TENG based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) fabricated via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method have been introduced. The fabricated TENG can deliver output voltage of 20 V with the output power of 10.3 μW at a load of 40 MΩ, which can directly drive several green LEDs. In addition, commercial capacitors can be charged by TENG for energy storage, which is then utilized to drive thermal sensor. Due to the subtle structure, the TENG is proved capable of self‐powered weighing.